The Man Who Inspired and Befriended Einstein and then Terrorized Him.

File this one under strange but true: In the 1910s, 20s and 30s, Albert Einstein was hounded by a Nazi scientist named Phillipp Lenard who was the founder of the "Aryan Science" movement whose goal was to remove all "Jewish science" from Germany.  However, Lenard wasn't always an anti-Semite.  He actually got his start as an assistant to a Jewish scientist and for many years was supportive of and acknowledged the work of Jewish scientists.  Lenard's work on the photoelectric effect actually led to Einstein's Nobel Prize.  Not only that but at first, when Einstein was virtually unknown and Lenard was famous, Lenard even supported Einstein!  Then, everything changed.  It was the combination of nationalism and a deep love of classical physics that drove Lenard to madness.  Come join us for lunch and learn about this twisted story of science, history, and fascism.

Kathy Joseph Balistreri is a Physics teacher and historian.  She is currently working on her book on the history of electricity called “The Lightning Tamers: Wild Tales of How We Electrified Our World” and makes videos on the same theme on YouTube under the name “Kathy Loves Physics”.  She grew up in San Francisco and was confirmed at Sherith Israel with her friend (and current head rabbi) Jessica Graf.  She is also raising two little tyrants: Alex (3) and Alicia (6).  

Prime Time Club is a monthly gathering featuring lunch and interesting guest speakers for congregants and guests 65 (or getting there) and older.